CCI Celebrates Veterans by Providing Path to Business Ownership

Creative Colors International Inc. is celebrating Veterans Day by saluting its valuable veteran franchisees.

Veterans play a vital role in the franchise community. Veterans account for seven percent of the United States population, but at least 14 percent of franchisees served in the military, reported VetFran, a strategic initiative of the International Franchise Association designed to provide franchising information to veterans. There are 2.52 million businesses owned by veterans in the U.S., according to the U.S. Census Bureau. Veteran-owned small businesses employ more than 5 million people in the United States and generate revenue of  $1.14 trillion, according to a report from the U.S. Small Business Administration. Veteran-owned businesses represent nearly 10 percent of all U.S. businesses.

“CCI prides itself on being a great business opportunity for veterans interested in pursuing entrepreneurship,” said Mark J. Bollman. “The company offers a discount to veterans interested in business ownership.”

Jeremy Weber, a successful CCI veteran franchisee, relies on team-building skills he honed during his tenure in the armed forces to run his successful mobile leather and vinyl repair franchise. In 1993, directly out of high school, Weber joined the United States Marine Corps. He primarily served as a mortarman, which is a crew server weapon system. Mortarmen rely on a team for communication, as they often cannot see their target. Weber would typically operate on the gunline or at a command center with a group of people coordinating and directing the activity on the battlefield.

Weber was stationed at Camp Pendleton and did two tours aboard the USS Essex, which was primarily in the Persian Gulf and the Western Pacific theatre of operations, before he left the military in 1997. Following his time in the military, Weber was in charge of information technology for Farmers Insurance and operated a consulting business. In 2015 he opted to pursue entrepreneurship as a franchisee for CCI.

“Creative Colors was the right fit for me,” Weber said. “I think there is a sense of belonging and being part of a larger unit in franchising that is familiar to those who have served in the military.

Franchising gave Weber the opportunity to be part of a team, which he finds essential for  success when it comes to operating his Creative Colors of West Michigan franchise. “What gives me the most passion is building a team and directing them, setting boundaries and clearing roadblocks and setting people up for success as a team, not as an individual,” he said. “We are here for a common objective, and as long as we are all focused on the team’s goals before the individual, then we will all succeed,” he added.

CCI, which specializes in repairing, restoring or replacing damaged vinyl, leather, fabric or plastic goods, has partnered in the past with USA Cares, a charity that provides financial and advocacy assistance to post 9/11 active-duty U.S. military service personnel, veterans and their families. The Mokena, Illinois-based CCI awarded a qualified veteran a free franchise and strives to hire veterans as certified service technicians. CCI also provides franchise discounts to veterans.

Franchisees with CCI operate a home-based business requiring low overhead and offering high profit potential. CCI provides intensive training for new business owners and ongoing consultation by hosting conferences and being available to solve problems on a day-to-day basis online or via telephone.

For more information about CCI, visit: www.creativecolorsintl.com/.